China has made real efforts toward establishing relations with the Vatican, a Chinese official said Tuesday, as expectations grow for a landmark accord between the Holy See and Beijing on the appointment of bishops.
Chinese Catholics are split between those who attend officially sanctioned churches run by government-approved bishops and technically illegal "underground" churches, the vast majority of which are loyal to the Vatican.
Full relations would give the Church a legal framework to look after all of China's estimated 12 million Catholics and move on to focus on Catholic growth in a country where Protestant churches are already growing fast.